U.S. patent number 5,074,295 [Application Number 07/388,931] was granted by the patent office on 1991-12-24 for mouth-held holder.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Jamie, Inc.. Invention is credited to James J. Willis.
United States Patent |
5,074,295 |
Willis |
December 24, 1991 |
Mouth-held holder
Abstract
A mouth-held implement holder is disclosed having a socket at
one end which receives the butt end of the implement. The opposite
end of the holder is formed as a mouthpiece. The mouthpiece, on
being inserted into the mouth, is gripped by the molars which
extend along the sides of the upper and lower jaws. Provision is
made for breathing through the mouthpiece.
Inventors: |
Willis; James J. (Redding,
CA) |
Assignee: |
Jamie, Inc. (Portland,
OR)
|
Family
ID: |
23536132 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/388,931 |
Filed: |
August 3, 1989 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
128/200.24;
128/202.13; 128/207.11; 128/201.11; 362/191 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25G
1/102 (20130101); F21L 15/08 (20130101); A61F
4/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B25G
1/00 (20060101); B25G 1/10 (20060101); A61F
4/00 (20060101); A61M 015/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/200.26,201.11,206.29,207.14,863,DIG.26,200.24,202.13,207.11
;362/103,191 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Burr; Edgar S.
Assistant Examiner: Lewis; Aaron J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kolisch, Hartwell, Dickinson,
McCormack & Heuser
Claims
It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:
1. An implement holder adapted to be held by the mouth for holding
an end of an implement, the holder comprising:
a body;
a socket portion for mounting said end of an implement and the
socket portion forming the forward end of said body, said socket
portion having an elongate open-ended internal cavity and said end
of the implement seating within said cavity,
a bifurcated mouthpiece including a pair of laterally spaced
molar-gripped portions separated by a tongue-receiving cavity
forming the rear end of the body, and
a headband and means mounting said headband on said body disposed
forwardly on said body from said mouthpiece, wherein said body
includes means defining an air passage extending lengthwise of the
holder, and affording, with the mouthpiece gripped by a user,
breathing of air through the mouthpiece into the mouth.
2. The holder of claim 1, wherein said molar-gripped portions are
composed of an elastomeric material, and wherein said molar-gripped
portions are constructed to be gripped by molars in the upper and
lower jaws of a user to enable when the jaws are relatively
displaced shifting of said body and said socket portion forming one
end of said body.
3. The holder of claim 1, wherein the holder has a lip-receiving
region engaged by the lips of the user with the holder in use, and
wherein said means defining an air passage extends from said cavity
to a port disposed forwardly of said lip-receiving region.
4. The combination of an implement and an implement holder:
the implement having an implement body with forward and rear
ends,
the implement holder having a mouthpiece forming the rear of the
holder adapted to be fitted within the mouth of a user and to be
gripped by the teeth of the user, the holder having a socket
forming the forward end of the implement holder and projecting
forwardly of the mouthpiece, the socket having an elongate
open-ended internal cavity and the rear end of the implement body
seating within said cavity of the socket,
and means defining an air passage extending through the mouthpiece,
with one end of the passage communicating with the interior of the
mouth of a user and one of the end of the passage communicating
with the atmosphere exteriorally of the mouth.
5. The combination of claim 4, wherein said mouthpiece is
bifurcated and includes a pair of laterally spaced molar-gripped
portions separated by a tongue-receiving cavity, and wherein said
one end of the passage joins with said cavity.
6. The combination of claim 5, wherein said laterally spaced
molar-gripped portions are made of an elastomer material, and
wherein when said molar-gripped portions are constructed and
arranged to be gripped by the molars in the upper and lower jaws of
the user, with relative displacement of the jaws producing shifting
in the position of the implement.
7. The combination of claim 6, which further includes a head strap
adapted to embrace the head of the user, and means disposed
forwardly of the mouthpiece mounting the head strap on the
implement.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a mouth-held holder, for devices such as
tools, instruments, appliances, utensils, etc., broadly referred to
herein as implements. The holder enables the user to direct the
implement as desired through movement of the jaws and head and
without use of the hands.
The holder may be used by persons who do not have use of the arms
and hands, to enable such persons to perform work operations with
selected tools supported by the holder. The holder also may be and
devices to be used by a repairman, mechanic or installer, to enable
a such person to effect an end with the hands left free to perform
another function. In the case of a person with impaired arm
functions, the implement held might be a pen, a brush, or other
tool or utensil. In the case of a repairman or mechanic, the
implement might be an appliance such as a flashlight. In the
specific embodiment of the invention illustrated and described
herein, the holder is adapted for the support of a flashlight,
although it should be understood that this is for the purpose of
illustration only and not intended to limit the invention, as other
uses are obviously possible.
Mouth-held holders as known to date commonly are constructed to be
gripped by the user through the front teeth and lips. As a
consequence, use of the holder over any period of time is tiring
and uncomfortable. Furthermore, continued use of the holder creates
a risk of injury to the teeth and jaws. Holding on to a device of
any size through the lips and front teeth adversely affects the
ability of the user to swallow. A common deficiency of implement
holders known to date is the lack of any provision enabling
breathing through the mouth with the holder in use.
This invention contemplates an implement holder which has a
mouthpiece forming one end constructed to be held by biting onto
the mouthpiece utilizing the molars extending along the sides of
the jaws. The opposite end of the holder may be formed as a socket
for seating the end of the implement held by the holder. With the
organization contemplated, an implement can be held through the
mouth for a considerable period of time without the discomfort
experienced through biting with the front teeth. Furthermore,
positioning of the implement is possible through relative
displacement of the jaw members to produce side-to-side or
up-and-down movement without the requirement of tilting the entire
head, although implement direction may of course, be changed
through head movement. In addition to the above, the invention
contemplates, in the organization of a implement holder, a
construction whereby breathing through the mouth may be performed
while the implement is gripped by the molars.
Accordingly, a general object of the invention is to provide an
improved mouth-held implement holder featuring a mouthpiece which
enables the holder to be gripped by the molars of the user.
Another object is to provide a mouth-held implement holder which
enables a user to breath, if need be, through the mouth when
holding the holder.
A related object is to provide such an organization wherein the
mouthpiece is bifurcated where such lodges within the mouth, to
have laterally spaced molar-gripped portions separated by a
tongue-receiving cavity. For comfort reasons, and to provide a
construction which is comfortably adaptable to different mouth
configurations, the mouthpiece is preferably formed of a flexible
and resilient elastomer material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and advantages are attained by the
invention, which is described hereinbelow in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side view of an implement holder, such including a
mouthpiece at one end and a socket at its opposite end;
FIG. 2 is a top view illustrating the holder of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating portions of the
holder broken away; and
FIG. 4 is a view looking at the end of the holder which includes
the mouthpiece.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, the holder illustrated, indicated
generally at 10, is designed to support a flashlight, although as
earlier indicated other holders are possible for supporting other
instrumentalities such as a tool, a utensil, a pencil, etc.
The flashlight supported by the holder is indicated generally at
12. Such is conventional and includes an elongate battery housing
portion 14 receiving the batteries and an enlarged housing portion
16 housing the usual light reflector and lens. With the flashlight
operating, a beam of light extends outwardly and to the right with
the holder and flashlight as illustrated in FIG. 1.
Holder 10 takes the form of an elongate body which has formed at
one end thereof a socket portion 20. The socket portion has an
elongate internal cavity 22 of substantially cylindrical outline
which receives the butt end of the flashlight. The inner surface of
this cavity may be formed with a ribbing or knurling as shown at 24
to increase the frictional grab of the inside of this cylinder with
the external surface of the flashlight housing.
Formed integrally with socket portion 20, and at the left end of
the holder, is what is referred to herein as a mouthpiece portion
30. This mouthpiece portion is constructed so as to be fittable
within the mouth of a user, and be grippable with biting onto the
mouthpiece through the molars which line the sides of the upper and
lower jaws of the mouth.
More specifically, the mouthpiece portion is bifurcated and
includes a pair of laterally spaced molar-gripped portions
indicated at 32 and 34, separated by a tongue-receiving cavity 36.
Each molar-gripped portion includes a laterally outer margin as
shown at 38 which lodges within the mouth between the outside of
the row of teeth and the inside of the cheek. On the inner side of
each molar-gripped portion is a flange 40 portion which normally
extends along the inside of a row of molars with the mouthpiece
held. The molars of the upper and lower jaws engage an expanse 42
which interconnects flange 40 and outer margin 38 earlier
described.
Portions 32, 34 have inner ends joined by an expanse of material
44. This expanse is engaged by the lips of the person holding the
device and is also referred to herein as a lip-receiving means.
In FIGS. 1 and 2 portions of the head of a user are outlined in
simplified form at 46. The outline indicates how the mouthpiece is
fittable within the mouth of the user to be gripped by the molars
at the sides of the jaws.
Providing for the breathing of air through the mouth with the
mouthpiece portion inserted is an air passage indicated at 50. The
air passage has inlets at the top, bottom and sides of the device
as indicated at 53, 54, 56, these joining with a common passage
that connects with cavity 36.
With the construction illustrated, the user of the device is
permitted to breath through the mouth, as well as through the nose.
If desired, the user may place the tip of his tongue against port
60 to close off the air passage with breathing then being entirely
through the nose.
The body of the holder is preferably made of a flexible and
resilient elastomer material. The body as a whole and where such
extends between the socket portion and the mouthpiece portion,
should have sufficient stiffness so as to result in the socket
portion, projecting forwardly from the mouthpiece portion without
drooping.
The head can be employed for partially supporting the holder and
the flashlight that it mounts. Thus, there is shown a head strap
shown at 62 with ends link-connected at 64 and 66 to the flashlight
holder between the ends of the holder. The head strap extends from
these link connections about the rear of the head.
Whether the head strap is used or not, the holder and the implement
that it mounts may be shifted from side-to-side, or up-and-down,
through displacing of the lower jaw with respect to the upper jaw,
either from side-to-side, or in a back-and-forth manner. This will
have the effect of changing the direction in which the implement is
printed without tilting or changing the position of the head.
It should be apparent from this description that a device has been
illustrated which may be comfortably worn, and which at the same
time enables a flashlight or other implement to be positioned
without the use of the hands, with such extending directly
forwardly and from the mouth. The device is comfortably held with
gripping pressure applied by the jaws acting as a whole. Adjustment
in position and where the implement is pointed may be produced
through displacement of the lower jaw with respect to the upper
jaw.
While an embodiment of the invention has been shown and described
herein, it is not intended to be limited thereby to specific
features of the embodiment disclosed as it should be obvious that
variations and modifications are possible without departing from
the invention.
* * * * *